Remember When It Rained
by purplepagoda
Summary: This is set after the finale. Daniel is back in New York to tie up a few loose ends. What happens when he has lunch with his former enemy? Will it be disaster? Or will it be something more? Maybe the start of a beautiful friendship, maybe something else.
1. Every Little Step

He sits in the back of a town car. He thinks about the past several months, as he rides through the streets of New York. He had missed the city, but he hadn't missed the people. He had been happier than ever before. Things were going great, they were perfect.

She opens her eyes and stares at the man sleeping in her bed. She sighs in relief, glad that she's not dreaming. In her wildest dreams she never would have imagined this is how things would turn out. It's almost too good to be true. She finds that she's not entirely convinced that she deserves such happiness.

Sometimes with happiness, with the feeling of perfection, after the exploration, the boredom sets in. What happens after you've explored what you've always wondered about? Is it satisfying? Is it fulfilling? Is it enough, or do we always want something more, something other than what we have?

The car stops, and he steps out. His black loafers shine as he steps onto the wet street. The air still smells of the recent rain. He takes a deep breath, and buttons his jacket. He adjusts his lavender tie as he steps onto the sidewalk. He steps through the door of the restaurant.

The hostess eyes him as he approaches. She smacks her gum as he walks toward her. He reaches the podium, and puts on a goofy smile.

"Can I help you?"

"Do you have any tables available?"

"No. I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything available?"

"You can have a seat at the bar," she tells him.

A woman wearing four inch heels walks past him, and stops to speak with the hostess.

"Miss Slater your table isn't quite ready. Give us two or three minutes, and we'll get you seated," the girl smiles sweetly as she tosses her long, dyed, black hair behind her shoulder.

"Ok," Wilhelmina smiles back. She turns around and stares at the man behind her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just taking care of a few things."

"So how are things going in London?"

"Good. Are you meeting someone for lunch?"

"No. I was just hoping to come in and get a table, but apparently they don't have any."

"You can join me."

"That's not necessary," he argues.

"I won't bite," she promises.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You're not intruding."

"Are you sure?"

"It's just me," she answers.

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I'm getting lunch," she answers.

"You don't eat lunch."

"Sometimes I do," she admits.

"Miss Slater, your table is ready," the hostess smiles.

"Thank you Katie," Wilhelmina makes brief eye contact, and then starts past the podium that the hostess is standing at. Daniel follows her.

They reach the table, and he sits down across from her. The waiter takes their order, and then leaves them in silence.

"How is Mode?"

"Good," Wilhelmina answers.

"And how's Connor?"

"Good, how are things going between you and Betty?"

"Good."

"Really?" she questions raising an eyebrow.

"I guess," he answers solemnly.

"You look miserable," Wilhelmina points out.

"You don't look very happy either."

"Have you ever reached a point where you realize that you waited so long to have everything that you want, that when you get it, you don't really want it anymore."

"Yeah," he nods, "Why?"

"I don't know," she shrugs, "Maybe I just can't be happy."

"I feel the same way. It's like no matter what I have after a while I just get bored."

The waiter brings them their drinks. They both begin sipping. Wilhelmina takes a swallow and then begins again.

"So are you happy with Betty?"

"I should be..."

"But you feel guilty because you're not?"

"I feel guilty because it's not at all what I thought it was going to be."

"The sex is bad?" she asks bluntly.

"No."

"So what's the problem?"

"I don't know," he shrugs.

Wilhelmina takes another drink. Daniel looks at her. She looks up from her drink, and catches him staring at her.

"What?" she quizzes.

"Nothing," he lies.

"It was something."

"You look good," he admits.

"I always look good," she smiles, and tries not to blush.

"Yeah," he smiles back.

"You look a little pastier than usual, but you don't look too bad, yourself."

"So how are you, really?"

"I thought being editor in chief would make me happy."

"You don't seem happy."

"I love the job..."

"But?"

"It just doesn't feel right," she admits.

"You earned it, it's rightfully yours."

"It just isn't the same without you," the words fly out of her mouth before she realizes what she's said.

He looks at her in astonishment, but says nothing.

"And Betty, of course," she adds, "The atmosphere just isn't the same. And there's no one to argue with. I'm at my best when I'm at odds with someone."

"Are you saying that I push you to do your best?"

She laughs, "I guess that I am."

"You'll get used to it, eventually."

"I don't know that I want to."

"You just want to be my boss."

"Maybe."

"You told me about work, now tell me how things are going with Connor."

"They're perfect," she answers with no inflection in her voice.

"And you're miserable," he accuses.

"I didn't say that," she points out.

"You didn't have to. I know you better than you think. Your eyes gave you away."

She stares at the man across the table from her, and begins to wonder. A lightbulb goes off in her head, but she tries to hide the sudden shift in her feelings.

He looks into her blue eyes. He prays that she doesn't say a word. He questions every other moments he's ever had with her.

Her hand lays on the table. Without thinking his hand leaves his side, and covers her hand. He squeezes, and she squeezes back. They sit at the table in silence, just staring at one another, both wondering if they had missed something all along.


	2. My Way

He breaths shallowly between quick, passion filled kisses. His palms sweat, and his heart attempts to beat out of his chest.

Her mind tells her to push him away, to stop, before they go too far. Her heart races, and begs her never to stop.

He looks into her eyes. He pulls away from her. He catches his breath as she looks at him questioningly.

The cars outside move slowly. She re-situates herself on the leather seat, for a moment she looks out the window, but something deep inside pulls her back to him.

He opens his mouth to speak, but she shakes her head. "Don't say it," she begs. His eyes search hers for an answer. Her hand trails down his jaw line. She purses her lips, and exhales deeply.

He gently wraps his fingers around her wrist. She doesn't flinch, or break eye contact. He opens his mouth to speak. He waits a few seconds, giving her time to object, but she doesn't. "We shouldn't do this."

"Probably not," she agrees.

"It's wrong," he reminds her.

"It's nice to know that your moral compass is pointing in the right direction."

"I know that it's wrong, but it doesn't feel wrong," he admits.

"I'm not asking you to do something that you'll regret. I don't want you to do something you're not comfortable with."

"You're with Connor."

"And you're with..."

"I know."

"But?"

"This feels so right."

"We'll never know if..."

He doesn't say another word. His lips touch hers, and in an instant they throw what they have out the window, for something that may never work. She stops him when he begins to unzip her dress.

She knocks on the glass between the front seat and the back. She gives Daniel a look, and he smiles.

"Can you take us back to my apartment?"

"Yes sir," the driver agrees.

They ride in silence, attempting to control themselves for the next five minutes. The car finally stops. He allows her to climb out first. He follows her. In a leap of faith he tangles his fingers in hers, and pulls her toward the entrance of the building. She follows closely behind him.

He fumbles with the key when he reaches the door. He opens the door, and she follows him in. He locks the door behind them. He maneuvers around boxes. He leads her into the bedroom. When he reaches the doorway he finds her in her bra and panties. He quickly sheds his clothes.

Light fades, and the sun begins to set. The room is silent, but it is filled with things that remain unsaid. He stares at her as she lays under his sheets. He scoots closer to her, but says nothing. She rolls onto her side, to face him. He wraps his arm around her.

They stare at each other in silence. A smile crawls across her face. His face quickly mirrors hers. She touches his face. He kisses her.

"We're in trouble aren't we?" he asks when the kiss ends.

She nods, biting her lip.

"How could we miss this?"

"It's called denial."

"I don't think that we can deny it anymore."

"No," she agrees.

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know," she admits.

"Do we pretend it never happened?"

"I don't think that would work."

"Is this real? Or is it just good because we're with other people?"

"I don't know."

"I don't want to..."

"Someone is going to get hurt," she points out.

"I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You have to choose," she answers.

"You're asking me to choose?"

"Aren't you asking me the same?"

"I won't make you choose."

"I'm not going to walk away from something if..."

"Can I say something?"

She nods.

"I'm not like him. I won't test you. I won't hurt you like he did."

"I know."

The phone in the pocket of his pants, on the floor, begins to ring. He tries to ignore it.

"Answer it," she insists.

He gets out of bed. She watches as he pulls on his boxers. He grabs the phone out of his pocket.

"Hello?" he answers with a guilty conscience.

"It's me."

"Hey Betty."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," he lies.

"You don't sound fine. Did something happen?"

"I just have something that I need to talk to you about when I get back."

"I don't like the sound of that," she admits.

"I'm sorry," he answers.

"What did you do?"

"I don't want to do this over the phone."

"Fine. I'll see you when you get back," she hangs up.

He hangs up the phone. When he turns around he finds Wilhelmina sitting in bed in his t-shirt.

"I should probably go," she tells him.

"Don't," he begs.

"Give me a reason not to."

"Don't walk away from this, don't walk away from me," he begs.

"I have to get home. I'm sure that Connor is waiting on me."

"Fine," he nods.

He sits on the edge of the bed in a trance. She gets out of the bed, and walks over to him. He stares at her feet. She tips his chin up, to look at her. He stares up at her with a look of betrayal.

"You're not going to leave him, are you?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

"Whether or not you want me to."

"You know that I do."

"Daniel I'm not a mind reader. If you want something you have to say it."

"I want you to leave him. I want you to be with me, and only me."

"Ok."

"You're not going to ask me to leave her?"

"I'm not like you," she admits. "I'm used to being a cheater. I usually do the wrong thing, make the wrong decisions."

"Do you think this is the wrong decision?"

"This?"

"Us," he clarifies.

"The only thing that I'm certain of is that I'm not happy. I hate to admit it. But today, with you, I was happy. Happier than I've been in a long time."

"You aren't worried about how Connor is going to react?"

"I don't really give a damn. He deserves it."

"You're not doing this out of revenge are you?"

"No," she shakes her head.


	3. One Way Out

She slips into the apartment trying not to make a noise. She slips her heels off at the door. She drops her bag on the couch. She steps out of her dress before she reaches the bedroom door. She lays it on a chair, and yanks off her pantyhose. She tiptoes towards the bed. She doesn't falter when she realizes that he's not snoring. Five steps from her side of the bed the lamp flips on.

He looks at her in confusion. Her cheeks burn, but they don't turn red. She slips into the bed next to him without a word.

"You were out late."

"Sorry," she apologizes.

He eyes her suspiciously. She tries to control her breathing. "Why were you tiptoeing around?" he questions.

"I didn't want to wake you," she admits.

"Obviously," he points out.

She says nothing. He studies her face. Finally he asks, "You're not happy?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The look in your eyes," he answers.

"Connor..."

"Who is he?"

"What?"

"Who is he?" he repeats.

"I..."

"What?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not happy. As much as I wanted this, as I wanted to be with you..."

"You don't want this anymore?"

"I wish that I could explain it, but I'm just not happy anymore."

"Ok."

"Ok? That's all you have to say?"

"I can't hold onto you if you want to go. I don't deserve you. I knew that this was too good to be true."

"It wasn't."

"Really? Tell me, did you ever love me?"

"Connor you know that I did."

"So one day you woke up and suddenly you just didn't love me anymore?"

"No."

"Then tell me what happened."

"All I've ever wanted is to have someone in my life who loves me."

"But..."

"It's not you. I wish that it was."

"Is this because of the things that I've done."

"I can't lie and say that it doesn't. Connor the only times I've ever known love, pain comes along for the ride. That's not how it should be. I shouldn't have to feel like this every day."

"Feel like what?"

"That given the opportunity you'll leave. That someone will offer you enough money, and you'll just walk away. You might love me, but you love money more. You can't deny that."

"I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else, in my entire life."

"That might be true..."

"But?"

"I shouldn't have to fight so hard," she admits.

"Who is he?"

"Who said that there is anyone else?"

"There must be. Why else would you be telling me this?"

"Don't," she begs.

"Tell me. Who is it?"

"Does it matter?"

"You've already slept with him?"

"Connor..." she tries to reason with him.

"No. After everything that we've been through together I thought that you'd be the one person that I'd never lose. I thought that I could trust you."

"How do you think that I feel? I thought that I could trust you, but time after time you betrayed that trust."

"I'm sorry. How many times do I have to apologize?"

"Until I believe you. Everyday, in the back of my mind, I still wonder when is he going to betray me? I'm just waiting for you to walk away again. After all, walking away is what you do best. Even with Molly. When things got too hard you just walked away."

"She had moved on."

"Maybe if you had been there for her she wouldn't have."

He clenches his fists, flares his nostrils, and shakes his head. "I get it."

"Get what?"

"It's Daniel."

"What?"

"You're having an affair with him aren't you? Of all the things that we have in common... I thought that we shared an equal hatred of him."

"Connor..."

"Don't say anything," he insists.

"When are you going to admit that it wasn't his fault you lost Molly?"

"This isn't about Molly."

"Really? I don't believe you. You never let her go. You could never get over the fact that she loved Daniel more than she loved you. You hate him so much because he always gets what you never can, and he doesn't have to work nearly as hard."

"Stop," he begs.

"You should leave," she insists.

"You want me to leave? After I picked up off the ground, and made you into something. If it weren't for me you wouldn't be where you are now," he reminds her.

"I got where I am with no thanks to you."

"I got you where you are," he argues.

"Go!" she insists pointing to the door.

"I can't believe that you would choose him, over me. He's just going to hurt you."

"I'm used to getting hurt. Now leave."

"No," he argues.

"Leave!" she demands.

"You're going to regret this," he warns.

"Go, now," she begs. She watches as he gets out of bed. She can see the fury in his eyes. He approaches her side of the bed. His breathing is heavy as he stops next to her. Without a warning his hands wrap around her neck. His mouth touches her ear, sending shivers down her spine as she gasps for air, clawing at his fingers. "You'll never be happy with him," he warns. He lets go and steps back. He grabs his clothes and heads for the door. "You're wrong," she tells him as he stands in the doorway.

"What did you say?" he questions.

She instantly regrets the statement. He flies toward her. She jumps off the other side of the bed, and tries to find a safe place. She touches the door to the bathroom. She can feel him behind her. She turns around, and takes steps away from him but he remains inches from her face. He shakes his head, and reaches for her. "If I can't have you no one can," he tells her just before everything goes black.


End file.
